


The Tale of Little Halla

by Sixylicious



Series: Halla, Hawk, and Fox [13]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-17 22:53:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4684298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sixylicious/pseuds/Sixylicious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It came as no surprise that Varric had known all along where Hawke was, but he did indeed have a surprise in store for them when they reached Skyhold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Tale of Little Halla

**Author's Note:**

> This is my version of the scene right after you're named Inquisitor, where you go into Skyhold and Varric reveals he contacted Hawke. Continuity edits on 12/29/15.

"I think I can help with that. You see," the dwarf began, drawing everyone's attention immediately from where they had gathered at the head of Skyhold's ruined hall. "I might've... left a few things out when I told you about Kirkwall."

Cassandra and Cullen were visibly displeased, though the Seeker was certainly more so. Josephine's face never changed, ever the mark of perfect diplomacy. Leliana had to hold back a smile, though her face remained impassive. Storytellers always lied about something, she knew that. Bards were little different. Of course Varric had left things out; it was likely the same things she herself had neglected to tell Cassandra. 

"What did you leave out, Varric?" Eilian asked. He shushed Cassandra with a glance, patiently waiting for the dwarf to continue.

Varric shifted where he stood, his gaze moving from Cassandra to Eilian. "Have you read Tale of the Champion, Stormy?"

Eilian nodded. It had been the first book he'd picked up upon meeting Varric, when he'd been able to find any time to read. "I have, why?"

"Obviously I have this thing with nicknames. I still used everyone's real names though, except for two of Hawke's other friends," the dwarf began, "They both asked me not to name them when they found out I was writing about Kirkwall. Little Halla in particular. Anyway Seeker, Nightingale, you mentioned you couldn't find the Hero of Ferelden and that's why you were looking for Hawke. You couldn't find her because she doesn't want to be found. Fact of the matter is neither of them do. Three people know where they are, and it would've been just Isabela and I if Aveline hadn't insisted on staying in contact with Hawke. Valythari and Zevran made enough enemies during and after the Blight. So when she asked me to keep their involvement in Kirkwall a secret, of course I agreed."

"Valythari never indicated her location to me, even before she stopped answering my letters." Leliana remarked, playing to the story she had spun for the other advisors. No one needed to know she also knew Valythari's location and had indeed known all along. "And now you claim she was in Kirkwall? Why would she trust you with her location?"

"It wasn't intentional, Nightingale, really," Varric answered. "I didn't know who she was until we ended up helping her and Zevran kill a group of Crows that had come after them. That was just a few months before Meredith. As far as I knew, she was just another misfit Hawke had picked up who knew Merrill, Isabela, and Anders. They mostly all called her Val. I guess they knew who she was all along, but they didn't tell me."

"She would have told them not to," Leliana agreed. The others could make the connections now. The infamous Isabela, who had been close to Zevran, who all of her sources told her was still traveling with Valythari. If Isabela had settled even temporarily in Kirkwall, Zevran would have come to see her with his lover at his side. Merrill was another familiar name; if mostly from Varric's book. Anders too, they all knew him from records, from his first escape attempt up until the destruction of Kirkwall's Chantry. Cullen knew the most of the apostate Warden more infamous than even Isabela.

"Her vallaslin didn't give it away?" Eilian asked. Hearing that Varric knew not only the Champion of Kirkwall, but the Hero of Ferelden herself was certainly unexpected. Valythari Mahariel had become a living legend among the Dalish, even in the Free Marches where Clan Lavellan lived. He'd never expected to meet anyone who knew her. But why hide who she was? Had she not wanted her fame to take over Hawke's, as it likely would have if her involvement in Kirkwall had gotten out. Varric's revelation only created more questions, a situation that was becoming all too common.

"She kept it covered. Said it made her too recognizable, especially in Kirkwall. There were so many Fereldan refugees there, she was afraid of being recognized." Varric turned his gaze off in the direction of Kirkwall, a sigh escaping from his lips. "I got the truth out of Daisy after a while. Amaranthine was a disaster... Little Halla was under so much pressure, she just broke. So when she could get someone to take over the Wardens there, she vanished. Little Halla's a good person, she didn't deserve all of that. She wanted peace when she came to Kirkwall, so I promised I would keep her presence secret so she could have it. We all did."

"Where is she now?" Cassandra asked. "What is she doing? Have you been in contact with her or Hawke?"

"I don't know," the dwarf said. "I haven't heard from either of them since before the Conclave, I swear. Last I heard, she was in Antiva somewhere with Zevran, Hawke, and Fenris, maybe Daisy. She's been a Warden for a decade now... if I had to guess, I'd say she's searching for a way to cure herself. Blondie once told me that the taint is a death sentence, even for Wardens."

Leliana nodded, her expression unreadable beneath the shadows of her hood. Valythari had told her something similar once. "The taint is hardest on Wardens who join during a Blight," she murmured. "She was still coming to terms with it then."

Eilian frowned. "She could only have a few years left, is that what you're both saying?"

"Yeah," Varric said. "Far as I know, average lifespan for a Warden after they join is 30 years. Joining during a Blight could cut that in half though." He knew more than that though, much more. Hawke's last several letters had indicated Valythari barely slept now without a sleeping draught. The nightmares were beginning. It wasn't something the Warden wanted to face, and neither she nor Zevran nor Merrill would speak of it to their other companions. Hawke had forbidden him from mentioning it. He'd keep his word, but he would still drop hints. Leliana had traveled with Valythari and Zevran during the Blight, Varric knew that she at least would want to know - and if the dwarf knew one thing it was that a bard could easily pull together the hints he was leaving into the truth.

"Can you contact them?" Cassandra asked. Of course she wasn't pleased that Varric had lied, but she could understand his motivations. Not everyone took to fame as well as Eilian had. If Valythari had wanted to hide, with a former Antivan Crow at her side and the backing of Hawke's remaining resources, she would have been able to. It was no wonder they hadn't been able to find her, really. The Right Hand barely suspected Leliana's deception, but the Spymaster's resources had certainly helped as well.

Varric was about to deny that he could, but at a pointed glance from Leliana he sighed and nodded. Of course the spymaster would be able to tell he'd lie again if she didn't stop him. "Yeah, yeah I can. I guess you want me to go write a couple letters."

**Author's Note:**

> Little Halla is Varric's nickname for Valythari. Stormy is his nickname for Eilian, my Inquisitor, due to his preference for storm magic.


End file.
